


Something Old and Something New

by kievabea



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Merthur Party 2013, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 04:50:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1102613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kievabea/pseuds/kievabea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Merlin and Arthur's feelings are finally revealed. (Begins just before Uther's death.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Merlin!” Arthur’s impatient voice echoed through his bedchamber as he stormed in, throwing down his shield onto the freshly polished table. Merlin, who had been putting away Arthur’s laundry before the offending shield ruined his hard work of the past hour, heaved a sigh.  
“Yes, sire,” Merlin responded, setting down the remaining clothes at the foot of Arthur’s well-made bed – thanks to Merlin, of course, Arthur couldn’t fold a sheet if he had a step-by-step manual.  
“You idiot, you forgot to polish my chainmail after training yesterday, and father was having a fit about it at the knighting ceremony,” Arthur snapped, beckoning Merlin to help him out of his armor.  
Obediently, Merlin made his way across the stone floor to his prince, beginning to undo the buckles at Arthur’s back. His fingers lingered slightly, feeling the muscle beneath the chainmail, before he composed himself and slipped the armor over Arthur’s head of golden blonde hair, rumpling it slightly. Before Merlin could even think to stop them, his fingers moved to smooth down the stray strands, trailing down the side of Arthur’s face as soon as all was in order once more.  
Arthur stared curiously into Merlin’s eyes for a moment, as though trying to solve a riddle and the answer was hidden within the deep blue. Then he shook his head, messing up his hair all over again, the prat.  
“I expect that armor to be sparkling for tomorrow,” Arthur threatened, turning away after Merlin had set the remainder of the heavy silver plates down one the table – it would have to be polished again at that point, anyway. “Oh, and fetch me something to eat, would you?” He added expectantly.  
“I would… if you weren’t such a prat,” Merlin said stubbornly, and rather casually, crossing his arms over his chest.  
“Am I?” Arthur challenged, striding back to him with a smirk, “Least I’m not an idiot.”  
“Turnip head.”  
“Pathetic excuse for a servant.”  
“Clotpole.”  
“Complete bumpkin.”  
“Pompous, supercilious, condescending royal imbecile.”  
“Girl’s petticoat.”  
“Dollop-mmph -” The rest of Merlin’s cleverly thought out insult was lost against Arthur’s warm lips as they pressed unexpectedly against Merlin’s partly opened mouth. But – always having a mind of its own – his body was quick to respond. His hands knotted in Arthur’s hair, finding that he did not at all mind if it was messed up. Arthur, who had grabbed Merlin’s neckerchief in order to pull him towards him, moved a hand to the back of Merlin’s neck, manipulating his head so that it tilted just so, and Arthur’s lips were able to claim his all the better.  
Merlin was lost in the utter bliss of the moment he’d thought about for so long. He’d always imagined it happening after a feast, when Arthur was drunk and not thinking straight (no pun intended) – because after all, how could he want someone as gawky and awkward as Merlin?  
But want him he did. If there had been any doubt in Arthur’s mind about his feelings towards his idiotic manservant, any small shred of denial that remained, it dissipated completely in a matter of seconds. Must have been something about that stupid smile that Merlin gave when he fired those ridiculous insults at him, because Arthur had never desired anything more than to kiss that teasing grin off his face.  
The kiss had been a long time coming, but it was well worth waiting for, almost as though it had been hiding inconspicuously on their lips since the moment they’d met, just waiting for them to find.  
It was effortless, almost, the way their lips moved against each other’s, the way their hands flowed over one another’s bodies. Merlin could feel his magic tingling his fingertips, warmth spreading from them, as though a million tiny lights were emerging from every place Merlin’s skin met Arthur’s.  
Time was lost, but when they finally pulled away, it was with fluttering eyelashes, bashful smiles, thumbs stroking over jawlines and cheekbones, nearly identical blue eyes taking in each detail of the other’s face, from the rosy blush to the swollen lips to the contented, blissfully happy light in each other’s eyes.  
After a moment, Merlin whispered; “You’re still a total prat you know.”  
Arthur merely laughed, pulling him back in for another kiss as he muttered, “C’mere, idiot.” 

~End~


	2. Merlin and Arthur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin tries to cheer Arthur up after Uther's death. He very much succeeds.

The days following Uther's death and Arthur's coronation were nothing if not miserable. Arthur was exhausted from grief, and scarcely spoke, which was rare in and of itself. Merlin had not left Arthur's side, but they hadn't shared so much as a glance. 

The kingdom seemed to be holding its breath, lying in wait for the period of mourning to be complete, and for Arthur to come into his place as king. He wore the crown well enough, (better than that, in Merlin's opinion), but he had yet to muster the strength to address his people in the five days after Uther's passing. 

Merlin had tried to cheer him up at first, with quiet jokes and hesitant pats on the back, but Arthur remained in another world, unreachable no matter what Merlin did. 

It had been awkward since the kiss, naturally, and since Uther's death followed not a day later there had been no opportunity to speak of it, much less replicate it.

Still, Merlin knew he had to do something to cheer Arthur up. He hated seeing him like this; it frightened him. Where Arthur had once exuded nothing but strength and power, with an ease and grace about him, he was now sullen, angry, and unfocused. Merlin had always been able to put a smile on Arthur's face before. He knew he could do it again. Arthur just needed a break to clear his head, that was all. And Merlin knew he could give that to him.

The next morning, Arthur awoke to the sound of movement, banging and shuffling. Whoever it was, they were not bothering to tone down their noise, and only one person could be that insensitive. 

“It’s early, Merlin,” Arthur groaned, not opening his eyes.

“You’re awake!” Merlin said brightly, crossing over to Arthur’s bedside and crouching beside him. 

“Observant as ever, I see,” Arthur sighed, opening his eyes and sitting up slowly. His head was pounding, and he vaguely recalled drinking what was perhaps too much wine the night before. All the better to drown his sorrows, at least. Arthur squeezed his eyes shut again, massaging his temples. “Why’re you here so early?” He complained in a thick, hollow voice. He wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep, and wake up in a few hours, all of this having been a dream. His father would be bossy, Arthur would still be a prince, everything would be as it should. 

“We are going for a ride,” Merlin chirped, getting back up to finish packing a blanket and some pillows, along with the remainder of the lunch he’d packed in a large basket. 

Arthur opened his blue eyes once more, abashed. “Merlin, you idiot, I can’t just abandon my duties. I’m the king now,” He broke off, suddenly cold and uncomfortable, “I have ceremonies to attend to. I’m excepted at council today.” He finished shortly. 

Merlin waved him off. “I’ve canceled it all already,” He said. “Now get up, we’re losing daylight.”

“We hardly have daylight,” Arthur said grumpily, looking out as the dawn broke over Camelot, but he rolled out of bed anyway, shivering at the absence of the warm bed sheets over his lightly clad skin. 

Merlin tried not to allow his eyes to linger over the sharp contours of Arthur’s muscled body as he removed his bedclothes, slipped a white tunic over his head, and helped him into a light pair of brown trousers. 

“You’ll come then?” Merlin asked, straightening up to fetch Arthur a pair of brown leather boots. 

“Hmm?” Arthur shook himself out of a daze, and Merlin huffed impatiently. 

“We’re going riding, remember,” Merlin reminded him.

Arthur rolled his eyes, “You know I -”

Merlin shushed him, and Arthur looked utterly affronted. “Not another word. Come on.” He took Arthur’s hand, trying to look as though he hadn’t been thinking about it, that it was purely friendly and absentminded, as though his skin wasn’t tingling where it touched Arthur’s. But that, however, seemed to have convinced the stubborn king well enough, because he followed Merlin, grumbling something that sounded like 'I’m supposed to be the one who gives orders', which the cheerful servant paid no mind to. 

After saddling two horses and loading them up with the blankets, pillows, and the basket, along with Arthur’s sword, if need be, Merlin helped a reluctant Arthur up onto a horse, before climbing awkwardly on his own. 

“Merlin -” Arthur protested in vain.

“I told you, it’s all canceled, and it would be a bother to reschedule it all on such short notice. There’s nothing for it, you’ll just have to come with me,” Merlin replied simply. He turned over his shoulder, meeting Arthur’s eyes intently. “They understand Arthur,” He said kindly, offering a smile. He was rewarded with the first genuine smile he’d seen since Uther’s death, and an affirmative nod. 

An hour later, silence broken only by Arthur asking where the hell they were going and Merlin shrugging obnoxiously, they arrived in a brightly lit clearing alongside a small, clear pond. 

Merlin looked to Arthur, trying to read his expression as he got off his horse and helped his king off his mount. His eyes didn't leave Arthur when he tethered the reins to a nearby tree. Arthur's face was unreadable as he looked around. 

"I thought you needed a break," Merlin explained shyly. "I brought your favorite," he gestured to the basket of food, and Arthur chuckled. 

Merlin busied himself setting up the blankets and pillows alongside the pond, laying the contents of the picnic basket on an edge of the red blanket. "Come on, then," He beckoned Arthur over. 

"You're an idiot," Arthur grinned, sitting down on the blanket beside Merlin, who gasped in offense. 

"Here I am, being a good little servant, and all you have to say is -"

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"I - I really appreciate this," Arthur mumbled. "So shut up."

Merlin beamed. That was enough for him. "Well, tuck in then." 

A half an hour later, more food had been consumed than either of them would care to admit, and they'd bantered playfully about belt notches and ridiculous ears. There was a few minutes of silence, during which Merlin and Arthur stared at the gently moving pond, alive with little fish and large frogs, which Merlin ignored because he already had his handsome king right beside him, and not a single toad had to be kissed to get him. 

"Why did you do this?" Arthur asked suddenly, looking at Merlin expectantly. 

Merlin blushed slightly. "Didn't want you to get frown lines," He said, looking down at his hands. Arthur laughed, and Merlin grinned victoriously. "See, it's working." 

"Despite all your idiocy, you always seem to make me laugh," Arthur said, forcing confidence into his voice. Merlin met his eyes, slightly surprised. 

"We never talked about the other day," He said quietly, after ascertaining, by the look in Arthur's eyes, that is was safe to bring up the subject. 

Arthur smiled slightly, biting his bottom lip in an unfairly adorable way that made Merlin's heart flutter. "It was effective in shutting you up," He pointed out, a light laugh in his voice. 

"True, and I quite prefer the method to you lobbing heavy objects at my head," Merlin remarked, nodding, as though agreeing with himself.

"Care to test the theory?" Arthur asked coyly, tilting his head to the side and smirking. 

"Thought you'd never ask," Merlin sighed with relief, crawling over and forcing Arthur back against the pillows so he was trapped beneath him, which he didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, there was that bloody smile on his face, the one reserved only for Merlin. 

Their lips came together in passion and desperation, this kiss not at all like the first. It was rough, urgent and demanding. Their teeth and tongues scraped against each other as Arthur cupped Merlin's face, pulling the scrawny boy's entire body weight on top of him. Merlin dug his fingers into Arthur's biceps, letting out a strangled moan. He could feel Arthur's arousal pressing up against his hip that rivaled his own. Arthur groaned as Merlin began to rock his hips, pleasure shooting through his body. 

"Arthur," Merlin whined, his fingers grappling at the hem of Arthur's shirt. He sat up, allowing Merlin to tug the shirt over his head, nimble hands immediately running over Arthur's toned chest. 

"Well now that's just not fair," Arthur complained breathlessly, breaking the kiss just enough to pout his swollen, reddened lips so irresistibly that in that moment, Merlin wouldn't have refused him his first born child. In seconds, the indigo shirt was discarded, and Arthur's eyes were taking in Merlin's milky white skin hungrily. Despite his scrawniness, Merlin was surprisingly well built. 

Arthur's hands trailed over his prominent collarbones and down his sides, an entranced, fascinated look in his eyes. A light sweat had broken out over Merlin's skin, giving it a soft sheen that Arthur could not look away from. 

"Are you going to kiss me or not?" Merlin demanded, grabbing beneath Arthur's jaw to pull their lips back together, their bodies pressed against each other, closer and closer by the second until no millimeter of space was between them. 

Merlin gripped Arthur's hips firmly, legs straddling them as he circled his pelvis slowly against Arthur. "Gods, Merlin," Arthur hissed, biting Merlin's lip just shy of drawing blood. 

That was all the affirmation Merlin needed. With one hand, he undid Arthur's trousers, brushing the sensitive skin lightly as his fingers trailed downwards to grip Arthur's arousal. Arthur gasped, digging his fingers into Merlin's shoulders as his mouth moved to kiss down Merlin's neck, making him whimper. When Arthur found his spot, he groaned loudly, and Arthur sucked feverishly on the spot in time to Merlin's rapidly increasing strokes. 

"Arthur, please," Merlin begged, biting his lip hard against another moan. 

Arthur didn't need to be told twice. It took him a bit longer to undo Merlin's trousers, and once he had he teased the skin there to the point where Merlin was panting with need. He have Arthur's cock a quick stroke from base to tip, that resulted in a loud moan, but was effective in getting him to comply to his wishes. 

Their lips found each other's once more and Arthur's hand began to slide up and down Merlin's arousal. The kisses were broken by moans and whispers of each other's names, both in utter, blinding bliss. The pace of their strokes quickened, falling in time with one another. Merlin could feel himself building, and judging by Arthur's increasingly frequent moans, he was close as well. 

"Merlin," Arthur gasped out against his lips, the raw and pure emotion in his voice enough to send Merlin over the edge at the same time Arthur cried out his own climax. 

When they had finished, they collapsed against one another in a sticky, contented mess, arms encircling each other loosely. 

"Arthur," Merlin sighed happily, pressing his lips against the side of Arthur's face. 

"Hmm," Arthur hummed into Merlin's collarbone, overwhelmed with the flow of emotion that sent his heart into a bursting ache, until he couldn't keep it in any longer. "I love you," He whispered, kissing along the prominent collarbone with each word. 

Merlin stiffened beneath Arthur's arms, leaning back to look him in the eye, as though doubting what he'd said. 

"I do," Arthur rested his forehead against Merlin's. "You've always meant more to me than anything."

Merlin blushed deeply, his eyes suddenly watery. "I love you too, prat," He managed to get out, pressing a kiss to Arthur's lips for the purpose of drowning out any retaliation. 

"Took us long enough," Arthur chuckled as Merlin rolled over next to him, resting his head on his broad shoulder. Arthur laced his fingers through Merlin's, resting them atop his chest. 

Merlin laughed, his breath tickling Arthur's cheek. "We could have been doing this for years, what were we thinking?" 

Arthur wrinkled his nose. "We're a pair of idiots." 

"As long as you admit your one, too," Merlin smiled, nuzzling his head into Arthur's neck. 

In that moment, they weren't a king and a servant. Arthur wasn't a prat, nor was Merlin an idiot. They weren't the once and future king and the greatest sorcerer. They were Merlin and Arthur, in a place where they could simply be. 

It was impossible to say how long they lay there like that, realizing that nothing would ever be the same from that point on, but it didn't matter because they had everything they ever wanted, at last. 

When they returned to Camelot, Merlin stood proudly behind Arthur as he addressed his kingdom in the way only he could. With a hope and determination that left the people cheering and singing and celebrating, because finally an era of peace was upon them. 

Merlin didn't leave Arthur's chamber for days, as they whispered to each other long after the stars lit the quiet city below. I love you, I love you, I love you. 

Those words were all they needed, neither tiring of hearing them after waiting much to long to be able to say them freely, as they embraced, caressed, kissed, as Arthur entered Merlin with a cry and afterwards lay for hours, talking of everything and nothing, because all that mattered was within their grasp.


End file.
